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Libraries: Newspapers

The University of Manitoba Libraries has digitized several Manitoban newspapers and funded the digitization of the Winnipeg Tribune, the Manitoban, and Czas (The Times). These digitized newspapers document every facet of life in Manitoba throughout its history, providing an invaluable resource for historical research.

The Brandon Daily Sun began publication in 1882 and appeared until 1884 when it was replaced by the Brandon Weekly Sun. In 1897, the Daily Sun reappeared and soon became the newspaper of record for Brandon and south western Manitoba, until it was succeeded by the Brandon Sun in 1960.

The Brandon Sun Weekly began publication on January 19, 1882, when the city of Brandon was hardly more than a collection of tents. Nevertheless, the newspaper did well and continued until July 1, 1897. Soon after a new daily Sun was established and is still published today.

This short-lived weekly newspaper (May to December 1888) was founded in St. Boniface by James Prendergast, Provincial Secretary in the newly-formed Liberal government under Thomas Greenway. The editor was former M.P. for Ste. Agathe, Ernest Cyr. Its publication was in response to a need for a French language political newspaper for the provincial Liberal party. The newspaper could not gain the support of the staunchly Conservative population of St. Boniface, and disappeared following Cyr’s defeat in the provincial election in June 1888.

The Daily Nor'Wester was published six times a week (except Sundays) from February 3, 1894 to June 8, 1898. Prospectus Dec. 29, 1893. It was started by W.F. Luxton, the founder of the Manitoba Free Press. Luxton sold the Daily Nor'Wester in 1896 and under new ownership, morning and evening editions were published from January 2, 1897 to June 8, 1898. It was continued as the Morning Telegram on June 9, 1898.

A weekly founded January 27, 1898 by a group of Liberals including Morris M.P. Alphonse Martin, l’Écho du Manitoba had a specific goal. Laurier’s victory at the federal level and the Laurier-Greenway compromise of 1897 had revived the French Liberal party in Manitoba, which needed an official organ. Its program was simple: “our race, our language, our religion”. The last issue was published on July 20, 1905, when its editor Henri d’Hellencourt left Manitoba for Québec.

Manitoba’s longest-running French-language weekly, La Liberté was founded by Adélard Langevin, Archbishop of St. Boniface, and first appeared May 20, 1913. A crusading newspaper, La Liberté was the voice of the French-speaking population of Manitoba and defender of its linguistic and religious rights, forcing its principal rivals, Le Manitoba and Le Soleil de l’Ouest, to eventually cease publication. Still published today, its focus is on news and information for the province's francophones.

Le Manitoba took over from Le Métis in 1881 its new title reflecting the changing demographic make-up of the province. It disappeared in 1925, losing a hard-fought battle against the Church-supported Conservative weekly, La Liberté. Weekly editions are available from October 13, 1881 to October 5, 1882 inclusive. It is published in a semi weekly format only from October 26, 1882 to October 18, 1883. For a short period, October 18, 1883 to January 10, 1884, it is published in both semi weekly and weekly editions. From January 17, 1884 until 1925, it is published weekly only.

Le Manitoba took over from Le Métis in 1881 its new title reflecting the changing demographic make-up of the province. It disappeared in 1925, losing a hard-fought battle against the Church-supported Conservative weekly, La Liberté. Weekly editions are available from October 13, 1881 to October 5, 1882 inclusive. It is published in a semi weekly format only from October 26, 1882 to October 18, 1883. For a short period, October 18, 1883 to January 10, 1884, it is published in both semi weekly and weekly editions. From January 17, 1884 until 1925, it is published weekly only.

La Libre parole, a weekly, started May 4, 1916. Larger and more carefully laid-out than its predecessors, this Liberal newspaper could not compete with its Conservative rivals Le Manitoba and La Liberté and ceased publication in 1919. This digitized collection ends with the September 20, 1917 issue.

On November 9, 1872 a free prospectus was circulated throughout the province "with the object of giving the people a specimen of our journal." Its motto was "Freedom in trade - Liberty in religion - Equality in civil rights." The publishers William F. Luxton and John A. Kenny explained that it was printed on "the first power printing press ever brought northwest of St. Paul, Minn." The weekly newspaper started publishing every Saturday on November 30, 1872 continuing until May 18, 1878 under the title Manitoba Free Press. It then continued under the title Manitoba Weekly Free Press.

The Manitoba Gazette was a weekly that appeared from October 12, 1878 until March 15, 1879. It claimed to be Liberal-Conservative and an opposed to the current provincial government. It ceased publication after being sued for libel.

The Manitoba Herald was published daily from January 11, 1877 until August 2, 1877. Its intention was to defend the interests of Manitoba and to keep an eye on the behaviour of the province’s representatives.

The Manitoba Liberal was established after the sale of the Manitoba News-Letter to the Manitoba Printing Company. On July 1, 1871, the News-Letter announced that it would be replaced by the Liberal and urged its readers to subscribe to it. The Liberal appeared weekly from July 12, 1871 until May 1873 and was continued by the Nor’Wester in 1874.

The Manitoba News-Letter belonged to John Christian Schultz and was published twice a week from September 30, 1870 to July 1, 1971. It was anti-Catholic and pro-Canadian and a violent opponent of supporters of the provisional government. After it was sold to the Manitoba Printing Company, the paper reappeared as The Manitoba Liberal.

The Manitoban and Northwest Herald appeared weekly from October 15, 1870 until November 21, 1874, though its publication was suspended from September 21 - November 23, 1872. From November 19, 1870 until September 14, 1872, its title changed to the Weekly Manitoban and Herald of Rupert's Land and North-Western Territory. It was continued by the Standard.

The Minnedosa Tribune has been published weekly since March 31, 1883. It was one of many small rural newspapers that appeared in the early 1880s, but it is one of the few that lasted into the twenty-first century.

The Morning Telegram was published six times a week except Sundays from June 9, 1898 until August 21, 1907. It was a continuation of the Daily Nor’Wester (1894) and was continued by the Winnipeg Telegram. A special edition of the newspaper known as the Winnipeg Women's Paper was published courtesy of the Morning Telegram on May 8, 1907. Its articles were reprinted in 1929 as a booklet entitled Pioneer Winnipeg Women's Work by Minnie J. B. Campbell. It is this second version which was digitized as no complete copy of the original issue of May 8, 1907 is known to exist.

The New Nation was published weekly from January 7, 1870 to September 3, 1870. Formed by the merger of the Red River Pioneer with the Nor'Wester, it was an organ of the provisional government headed by Louis Riel. It reported in great detail the debates and discussions of the provisional government.

The Nor'Wester, Manitoba’s first newspaper, was published from December 28, 1859 until September 28, 1869. The prospectus, published August 22, 1859, promised the newspaper would promote local interests and report all events impartially. Its publication frequency varied; it was published weekly or biweekly. It was suppressed by Louis Riel’s supporters and was merged with the Red River Pioneer to become The New Nation.

The Nor'Wester, published daily from December 8, 1874 to April 5, 1875 was edited by Alexander Begg, merchant and author. It supported the Davis provincial government which was elected in December 1874.

The One Big Union Bulletin was the official organ of the One Big Union movement. It was published by the Winnipeg Central Labor Council of the O.B.U. One special issue about the General Strike appeared on August 30, 1919. The strike edition of the Bulletin was digitized to support the thematic material. As background information, please note that the One Big Union Bulletin was published weekly from August 12, 1919 to May 24, 1934.

Le Courrier de l’Ouest was published weekly in St. Boniface from February 14 to August 14, 1889, when Prendergast left the Liberal cabinet because of the government’s plans to abolish official bilingualism and provincial funding to denominational schools.

This newspaper was first published on September 9, 1881 for a period of 35 years until its last issue on September 6, 1916. During its long existence it was a weekly publication with the exception of two short stints of semi-weekly or thrice weekly issues. Portage La Prairie residents knew it by many different titles, listed below in chronological order. It began as the Portage la Prairie Weekly Tribune, first issued on September 9, 1881. The Tribune absorbed another newspaper, the Marquette Review and Portage Times on February 8, 1884 and until August 29, 1884 published under the new title Portage la Prairie Weekly Tribune and Marquette Review. Unfortunately of this early period, only the 1884 issues are known to exist. Portage la Prairie Weekly Tribune-Review was published September 5, 1884 to November 4, 1887. Portage la Prairie Weekly Review was published November 11, 1887 to December 22, 1898. Portage la Prairie News and Portage la Prairie Review was published from February 2, 1899 to November 26, 1902. Published weekly except for the period from October 4, 1899 to May 13, 1901 when it was published 3 times weekly. Portage la Prairie News was published weekly from December 3, 1902 until June 29, 1904. Portage la Prairie Semi-Weekly News was published from July 8, 1904 until January 9, 1906. Portage la Prairie Review was then published every Tuesday and Friday from January 10 - March 30 1906. Portage la Prairie Weekly Review (1906) was published from April 4, 1906 until September 6, 1916.

The Quiz appeared from October 19, 1878 until June 7, 1879. It declared that it would play the role of jester and during its short existence it poked fun at prominent citizens of Winnipeg and commented, sometimes sarcastically, on national politics.

The Standard appeared weekly from November 28, 1874 until August 30, 1879. Among the issues discussed at great length in its pages were the proposed route of the CPR and Métis land grants. Its previous title was the Manitoban and Northwest Herald.

The Manitoban began publication in 1914 as the official newspaper for University of Manitoba students. It has a variable publication schedule, but in general has been published weekly during the school year and sporadically over the summer. It was formerly published by the University of Manitoba Students' Union, but latterly has been published by the Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation, an independent organization.

The People’s Voice was published weekly from June 16, 1894 until May 1, 1897. Intended to be the organ of the Winnipeg Trades and Labor Council, it became the most important labour newspaper in western Canada. After being sold to The Voice Publishing Company, it was replaced by The Voice.

The Voice replaced The People’s Voice. It appeared weekly from May 8, 1897 until July 26, 1918. Its editor was Arthur Puttee, a moderate socialist. But the Trades and Labor Council found him too moderate and the paper was dissolved and reorganized as The Western Labor News.

The Winnipeg Tribune, one of western Canada's oldest newspapers, ran from 1890 to 1980. The Tribune was a rival to the Winnipeg Free Press. While it had excellent coverage of local events and personalities, it also reported on national and international news.

Strike editions of the Western Labor News were published daily from May 17, 1919 until June 23, 1919. Double editions were published on three separate days, May 17, June 17 and June 20, 1919. Strike related Western Labor News issues from April 4, June 27 and September 5, 1919 have also been included in this digitized collection. The strike editions of the Western Labor News were digitized to support the thematic material. As background information, please note that The Western Labor News replaced The Voice as the organ of the Winnipeg Trades and Labor Council and was published from August 2 1918 to April 13, 1923.

The Winnipeg Citizen was published daily from May 19, 1919 to June 20, 1919 Published during Winnipeg General Strike, by Citizen's Committee of One Thousand. It was fiercely opposed to the strike and regularly accused the strike leaders of trying to start a revolution.

Strike editions of the daily Winnipeg Telegram were published from May 28 to June 28, 1919. Its special strike issues attacked the strike leaders as Bolshevik revolutionaries and it was clearly opposed to the strike. The strike editions of the Winnipeg Telegram were digitized to support the thematic material. As background information, please note that the Winnipeg Telegram newspaper was a daily published from August 22, 1907 to October 16, 1920.